Team Europe's Nadal was scheduled to take on Team World's Nick Kyrgios in his singles clash before partnering Swiss Federer to face John Isner and Jack Sock.
Japan has extended a state of emergency in Tokyo and three other areas until the end of May as the country battles a surge in COVID-19 cases
The 35-year-old also paid tribute to Messi, who played for Real's arch-rivals Barcelona.
World number one Rafael Nadal made light work of Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Barcelona Open final 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday, lifting the trophy for a record-extending 11th time.
Rafael Nadal beat new world number one Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 in a rematch of their Australian Open clash to storm into the final of the ATP 500 event in Acapulco on Friday.
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week's Rotterdam Open after being advised by doctors to rest, he said on Thursday.
Nadal's participation in the season-ending Tour finals hung in the balance when the Spaniard pulled out of the Paris Masters
The 33-year-old said that he has not had enough time to practise sufficiently due to inflammation in his left wrist.
A couple of months ago, the 35-year-old Spaniard was worried that he might never return to the court again.
World No 5 Rafael Nadal has ruled out joining forces with Indian tennis great Leander Paes 'anytime soon', insisting that he is focusing entirely on the singles event.
Rafael Nadal clinched a record-extending 11th Monte Carlo title as he geared up for his French Open campaign with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori in the final on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal reached the final of the Barcelona Open for the ninth time by beating German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday.
The 34-year-old played no part in his country's ATP Cup campaign, which ended in a 2-0 semi-final defeat at the hands of Italy on Saturday.
Zverev will have a chance to spoil the birthday party for Nadal, who turns 36 on Friday
The World No 1 told reporters on Friday that his strong performances this season -- including clinching yet another Roland Garros title in June -- have given him momentum heading into the fourth major of the year next week.
Nadal kept up his bid for a third Wimbledon and French Open double, putting on an ominous show to beat Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 7-6(3) on Friday on Centre Court and reach the last 16.
The 20-times Grand Slam champion said he was having some "unpleasant moments" but was hoping to feel better soon.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz sailed into the Paris Masters third round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka but Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev both slumped to surprise losses on Wednesday.
Auger-Aliassime, now coached by Nadal's uncle and long-time mentor Toni who sat in his box, will face Fritz in his final group match with a chance of making the last four.
Rafael Nadal has been left out of Spain's Davis Cup squad for their World Group first-round match against Croatia this weekend due to fatigue.
Friday's showdown will be the 40th meeting between the duo with Rafael Nadal leading 24-15 and 10-3 in Grand Slams.
Thirteen-time champion Rafael Nadal, 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer and world number one Novak Djokovic were placed in the same half of the French Open draw on Thursday.
Tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were spotted together as Real Madrid reached their 14th Champions League final.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal failed to win a single game in the opening set of his US Open quarter-final against Dominic Thiem on Tuesday but fought back to beat the Austrian 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5) in match that ended past 2 am in New York.
The 29-year-old Spaniard, who needed a final-set tiebreak to fight past Lukas Rosol in the first round, produced a performance of defiant persistence to fend off the challenge of the 24-year-old Dimitrov.
Thiem became the first Austrian since Thomas Muster in 1996 to reach the final of the claycourt tournament after subduing Murray for the first time in his career.
In his pre-tournament news conference in Toronto on Sunday, Nadal said a recurring foot issue he has been dealing with since 2005 returned at the French Open, where he fell to eventual champion Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Rafael Nadal does not expect to return to play competitive tennis until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has decimated much of this year's calendar. The World No 2 said he has practically written off the remainder of the year and is looking to the Australian Open in January 2021 as the next tournament he will play.
Nadal's great rival and fellow 20-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is also out of the US Open and will be sidelined for many months because he needs knee surgery.
World number one Rafael Nadal begins his French Open title defence, on Monday, with a clash against Italy's Simone Bolelli on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Rafael Nadal dug deep to beat mercurial wildcard Nick Kyrgios 7-6(0), 5-7, 6-4 in a blockbuster quarter-final match that lived up to the hype at Indian Wells on Thursday.
Rafael Nadal returned to Roland Garros after his birthday celebrations and showed no signs of slowing up, railroading compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in the fourth round on Sunday.
Italy's Sinner and Spain's Alcaraz have won two Grand Slams each this year, with Alcaraz beating Sinner in closely fought clashes at the French Open semi-finals and the China Open final.
Andy Murray reached the final of the Madrid Open for the second year running by beating Rafael Nadal in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday.
It will be the second time Nadal and Del Potro meet at Roland Garros. The previous match up saw the Spaniard beat Del Potro in straight sets in the opening round in 2007.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal take to Rod Laver Arena to reprise one of the great sporting rivalries of the modern age on Sunday, a fitting climax to an Australian Open which has sent tennis back to the future.
Fourteen-time grand slam singles tennis champion, Rafael Nadal, will carry Spain's flag at the opening ceremony for this year Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he said on Wednesday.
Fans literally broke Twitter, going gaga over Rafa's muscle-exposing sexy style.
Medvedev will be glad to play the role of dream wrecker once again.
'It has been unforgettable, and I can only say 'thank you'. It has been an incredible journey. It's very difficult, but life and my body have been sending signals to me for a long time.'
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